La La Land (2016) Review

When aspiring actress Mia and Jazz musician Sebastian keep meeting in Los Angeles we are offered an incredible story, with moments that will take your breath away.

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I really do feel like I have been waiting to see this film forever, considering I was in London for the film festival but plans changed I didn’t get to see it when it opened. The buzz around it has been unreal and that started to therefore make me nervous about eventually getting to watch the film. Because of so many positives and people raving about it surely that could mean setting it up for a fail? It was either going to become an instant favourite of mine or I would be left very disappointed. Well, I am more than happy to say that I absolutely loved the film!

The opening scene of the singing and dancing from the traffic jam certainly sets the tone for the film and in such a great toe tapping way. Who wouldn’t love to just break out into song and dance in the road? I am sure I cannot be the only one. I thought the mix of it looking and feeling at times like an old school Hollywood musical was just delightful whilst also keeping it with a modern twist and feel. An amazing balance if I do say so, also the combinations of the different style of dance was brilliant to see.

I am not going to give too much away in terms of the plot, but I will mention that it had a couple of turns that I really was not expecting and it broke my heart a little bit whilst also helping make sense of difficult decisions we all have to make at some point. Something we can relate to is having to make difficult choices that is going to influence well everything around you, but if that’s what you’ve been working hard for shouldn’t you go for it?

The combination of fighting against a love story and being one filled with cliches was such an amazing thing to do. Watching you just want it to happen so much, but they are given things to spoil the moment which made it feel real. It was a perfect blend of real life drama mixed with fantasy and dreams. I think that is what makes it so genius as just when it starts feeling too real, you are pulled to another place and on another level which was just stunning.

Performance wise I have been enjoying the different styles and types of films Emma Stone has offered herself to, and the strength of her acting is great in this film. Pairing up with Ryan Gosling just worked so well. I cannot quite believe that I found myself falling in love with him (even more) seriously he just has those eyes and the look. You know the way every single woman wants to be looked at, and that is something that makes him extra special in the film.

City of Stars will certainly be in your head and the music is very haunting and used to perfection at so many different points in the film. This was certainly a huge positive and I bought the soundtrack as soon as I returned home from the cinema! Listening to it all again, you certainly go through a lot of emotions when watching the film. Don’t worry though as we get some moments to laugh a little bit as well. I thought the characters were very likeable and you wanted them to be successful and achieve the dreams they had from not only themselves but each other.

If you pick up just one thing from watching this film it has to be that you have to at least try and follow the dream you have, it might not work straight away but you have to give it a good try and shot. Sometimes you need someone else to believe in you more than you do and for that reason alone this film is a total winner. The flow was perfect and some of the scenes were totally gorgeous and we get so many different types of sequences with the musical numbers and moments placed brilliantly.

Go for it take an unforgettable trip to La La Land!